News Briefs

10/25/2011, Tishrei 27, 5772

Report: PM in Ongoing Contact about Pollard

The Prime Minister's Office says that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu "is maintaining ongoing contact" for the release of Jonathan Pollard, serving a life sentence for passing classified information from the United States to Israel, according to a Tuesday morning report by Yisrael Hayom. The newspaper says the task force for Pollard's release is examining reports from the political establishment that there is progress in talks between Israel and the U.S. regarding the former naval intelligence officer, who is in deteriotating health as he nears the 26th anniversary of his arrest.

Pollard was reportedly one of the topics on Saturday night, when Netanyahu met with Rabbi Ovadia Yoseph, the spiritual leader of the Shas Sephardic hareidi party. A senior diplomatic source who was involved in the content of the conversation said the talks were not urgent and that no progress has been achieved.